Printable teaching guide: Mark 16:1-8, He Has Risen
TEACHER GUIDE · Mark 16:1-8 · RUN SHEET
He Has Risen
THE BIG IDEA · SAY IT AT LEAST FIVE TIMES
Because the tomb is empty, the house of the LORD is home forever.
Open with it, bring it back after every section, close with it. By the end they should be able to finish the sentence for you.
BEFORE THIS PASSAGE · DAY 13
Mark 15:33-39, Forsaken. Its big idea: The Shepherd took the rod of judgment, so his rod and staff comfort us.
AFTER THIS PASSAGE · DAY 15
Luke 15:1-7, Goodness Pursues. Its big idea: God’s goodness and mercy pursue us, like a shepherd after one lost sheep.
Open: Recall last time (Mark 15:33-39): the rod of judgment came down on the Shepherd. Today: the psalm’s last line, “and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Ask: What makes a place feel like home? Read Mark 16:6. Big idea: Because the tomb is empty, the house of the LORD is home forever. Ask one person what stuck from last time.
| SECTION | THE ONE THING | ASK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The House of the LORD Psalm 23:6 · about 8 min | The house of the LORD forever is a sure home because of the Shepherd, not the sheep’s record. | David asked in Psalm 15, “Who may dwell on Your holy mountain?” How can anyone be sure of a place in God’s house? |
| 2 | The Stone Rolled Away Mark 16:1-5 · about 10 min | No one expected the resurrection; the women came for a body and found an empty tomb. | The women came expecting to care for a dead body. What does that tell you about what they believed? |
| 3 | He Is Going Ahead of You Mark 16:6-8 · about 12 min | The risen Shepherd goes ahead of his sheep, out of the grave and into his Father’s house. | Why does it matter that the risen Shepherd goes ahead of his sheep? |
Close (never cut it): Read Mark 16:6, then Psalm 23:6. The Shepherd has gone ahead out of the grave. Say together: “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
PROTECT THE ENDING
If the last section starts late, read v6-7 and go to the close.
KIDS SIDE (BACK OF THE HANDOUT)
Story order: 2, 4, 5, 1, 3 (top to bottom) · Feelings: The women walking to the tomb sad, The women seeing the young man worried, The women hearing “He has risen!” happy, Us, knowing Jesus is alive happy · Code: HE IS RISEN · Act it out: Make a tomb with a blanket over a table. The children are the women, walking slowly with “spices.” They lift the blanket, find it empty, and a child dressed in white says, “He has risen! He is not here!”
YOUR NOTES
BIG IDEA: BECAUSE THE TOMB IS EMPTY, THE HOUSE OF THE LORD IS HOME FOREVER.RUN SHEET · TEACH FROM THIS PAGE
YOUR NOTES
1. The House of the LORDPsalm 23:6about 8 min
THEIR PAGE, WORD FOR WORD (ANSWERS FILLED IN)
1. The House of the LORD Psalm 23:6
- The psalm’s road ends at God’s house.
- “Forever” is literally “for length of days.”
- Ecclesiastes calls the grave man’s “eternal home” (Ecclesiastes 12:5), literally “the house of his forever.”
Psalm 23:6 ends in God’s house. The women went to a TOMB (Mark 16:2).
“He has RISEN! He is not here!” (Mark 16:6)
DISCUSS
David asked in Psalm 15, “Who may dwell on Your holy mountain?” How can anyone be sure of a place in God’s house?
David asked in Psalm 15, “Who may dwell on Your holy mountain?” How can anyone be sure of a place in God’s house?
The house of the LORD forever is a sure home because of the Shepherd, not the sheep’s record.
MUST COVER
- Psalm 23:6: “and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
- Psalm 27:4: David’s “one thing” was to dwell in the house of the LORD.
IF THERE’S TIME
- Psalm 15:1-2 sets a standard only Jesus meets.
Illustration idea: Coming back to a home where the light is on and someone is waiting for you.
RUNNING THE DISCUSSION
Listen for:
- Home, not just a building.
- Forever, because of him.
If it drifts: If the talk turns to speculation about what heaven looks like, return to the psalm: the point is whose house it is and who brings us there.
TRY SAYING SOMETHING LIKE
The psalm ends at home, in God’s house, forever.
Short on time? Drop Psalm 15. Keep Psalm 27:4.
Bridge → On the third day, three women walked to a grave.
YOUR NOTES
BIG IDEA: BECAUSE THE TOMB IS EMPTY, THE HOUSE OF THE LORD IS HOME FOREVER.TEACHER GUIDE · SECTION 1 OF 3
YOUR NOTES
2. The Stone Rolled AwayMark 16:1-5about 10 min
THEIR PAGE, WORD FOR WORD (ANSWERS FILLED IN)
2. The Stone Rolled Away Mark 16:1-5
- The women bring spices to anoint a body.
- They worry about the large stone.
- They find it rolled away and a young man in white inside.
“Who will roll away the STONE from the entrance of the tomb?”
“When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were ALARMED.”
DISCUSS
The women came expecting to care for a dead body. What does that tell you about what they believed?
The women came expecting to care for a dead body. What does that tell you about what they believed?
No one expected the resurrection; the women came for a body and found an empty tomb.
MUST COVER
- v1-2: these women saw him die (Mark 15:40), and two of them saw where he was laid (Mark 15:47).
- v4: the stone was very large; someone had done what they could not.
IF THERE’S TIME
- Mark 14:58: the false witnesses’ charge about a temple rebuilt “in three days”; John 2:21: “the temple of His body.”
Illustration idea: Arriving at a hospital room to say goodbye and finding the bed empty because the patient has walked out well.
RUNNING THE DISCUSSION
Listen for:
- They came for a body.
- Someone had already moved the stone.
If it drifts: If the conversation turns to theories about the empty tomb, keep it on what Mark reports: they saw the place, and he was not there.
TRY SAYING SOMETHING LIKE
They came for a body and found the stone rolled away.
Short on time? Drop the temple note. Keep v4.
Bridge → Then the young man speaks.
YOUR NOTES
BIG IDEA: BECAUSE THE TOMB IS EMPTY, THE HOUSE OF THE LORD IS HOME FOREVER.TEACHER GUIDE · SECTION 2 OF 3
YOUR NOTES
3. He Is Going Ahead of YouMark 16:6-8about 12 min
THEIR PAGE, WORD FOR WORD (ANSWERS FILLED IN)
3. He Is Going Ahead of You Mark 16:6-8
- “He has risen! He is not here!”
- “Go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee.’”
- The women flee, trembling, and say nothing.
“He is going AHEAD of you into Galilee.”
“Go, tell His disciples and PETER.”
DISCUSS
Why does it matter that the risen Shepherd goes ahead of his sheep?
Why does it matter that the risen Shepherd goes ahead of his sheep?
The risen Shepherd goes ahead of his sheep, out of the grave and into his Father’s house.
MUST COVER
- v7: Peter named by himself, after his denial.
- John 14:2-3: “In My Father’s house are many rooms... I will come back and welcome you into My presence.”
IF THERE’S TIME
- The earliest complete manuscripts of Mark end at v8.
- Romans 6:9: “He cannot die again.”
Illustration idea: A guide who crosses a river first, then turns and calls the group to follow.
RUNNING THE DISCUSSION
Listen for:
- He goes ahead.
- Even Peter is invited.
If it drifts: If the discussion turns to the longer ending of Mark, note briefly that the BSB prints it with a note, and return to v7.
TRY SAYING SOMETHING LIKE
Because the tomb is empty, the house of the LORD is home forever.
Short on time? Drop the manuscript note. Keep v6-7.
Bridge → So hear the psalm’s last line again beside the empty tomb.
YOUR NOTES
BIG IDEA: BECAUSE THE TOMB IS EMPTY, THE HOUSE OF THE LORD IS HOME FOREVER.TEACHER GUIDE · SECTION 3 OF 3
With One Friend, Over Coffee
About 30 minutes · for a friend who is curious, or not sure
RUN ORDER
- Start with home. Ask: What makes a place feel like home?
- Read the psalm. Read Psalm 23:6.
- Read Mark. Read Mark 16:1-8 together.
- The empty tomb. The grave, man’s “eternal home,” is empty. The Shepherd has gone ahead.
- Leave the question. Ask: If the tomb is empty, where is home? Leave it with them.
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HEAR
“Why did the women bring spices?”
Jesus was buried in a rush before the Sabbath. They came to honor his body properly.
Jesus was buried in a rush before the Sabbath. They came to honor his body properly.
“Why does Mark end with the women’s fear?”
The earliest manuscripts end at v8. The news was overwhelming; the other Gospels show that they did speak afterward.
The earliest manuscripts end at v8. The news was overwhelming; the other Gospels show that they did speak afterward.
“Why is Peter named?”
He had denied Jesus three times. The message makes sure he knows it is for him too.
He had denied Jesus three times. The message makes sure he knows it is for him too.
“What does this mean for me?”
Because Jesus is alive and has gone ahead, everyone who belongs to him will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Because Jesus is alive and has gone ahead, everyone who belongs to him will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
BIG IDEA: BECAUSE THE TOMB IS EMPTY, THE HOUSE OF THE LORD IS HOME FOREVER.TEACHER GUIDE · WITH ONE FRIEND
Evergreen Principles
Four standards every week. The rest rotate: each lesson brings the few that fit its passage best.
EVERY LESSON
| THE PRINCIPLE | IF YOU’RE NEW | IF YOU’VE TAUGHT FOR YEARS |
|---|---|---|
| Pray before you prepare Teaching the Bible is spiritual work first (John 15:5). | Pray for your class by name during the week. | Pray for the one person you find hardest to reach. |
| Study the text first Understand the passage yourself before any help. | Read it in two translations; write your own questions first. | Don’t lean on old notes. What did you miss last time? |
| Teach one big idea People remember one sentence, not four points. | Write it in 12 words or fewer before anything else. | Test every story against it. If it doesn’t serve it, cut it. |
| Point to Christ All of Scripture points to him (Luke 24:27). | Ask: what does this show about Jesus? | Show grace as the reason for obedience, not just the rule. |
FOR THIS LESSON
| THE PRINCIPLE | IF YOU’RE NEW | IF YOU’VE TAUGHT FOR YEARS |
|---|---|---|
| Make it concrete Mark names the women, the time and the stone. | Describe a rock-cut tomb with a rolling stone, or show a picture of one. | Use Mark 15:46 and 16:3-4. |
| Let the Bible do the talking The young man’s words carry the passage. | Read v6 aloud twice. | Then read Psalm 23:6. |
| Let the passage land the way it lands Mark ends on fear and silence. | Do not rush to tidy up v8. | Let the room feel how overwhelming the news was. |
BEFORE CLASS
☐ Read the passage three times
☐ Big idea in one sentence
☐ Opening and close chosen
☐ Know what you’ll cut
☐ Handouts, pens, extra Bibles
☐ Prayed for the class by name
BIG IDEA: BECAUSE THE TOMB IS EMPTY, THE HOUSE OF THE LORD IS HOME FOREVER.TEACHER GUIDE · EVERGREEN PRINCIPLES
Openings, Closings & Hard Moments
Pick one opening and one close; rotate so class doesn’t get predictable.
OPENINGS
ask a real-life question
This lesson: What makes a place feel like home?
use an object
This lesson: Hold up a house key and ask what it means to have a key to a home.
raise a problem
This lesson: If every life ends in a grave, what could “forever” in Psalm 23:6 mean?
CLOSINGS
restate the big idea
This lesson: Because the tomb is empty, the house of the LORD is home forever.
call back to the opening
This lesson: Return to what makes a home, and read John 14:2-3.
pray the text
This lesson: Thank Jesus that he is risen and has gone ahead to prepare a place.
WHEN CLASS GETS HARD
Someone is grieving a recent death.: Be gentle. The women came grieving too. Point to v6 and to Jesus’ promise of his Father’s house, without rushing their grief.
Someone doubts the resurrection.: Welcome the question. Note that the first witnesses were frightened women whose testimony counted for little then; the Gospels record it because it happened.
Silence after a question: Wait. Then rephrase simpler, or ask them to talk to a neighbor first.
One person dominates: “Thanks. Let’s hear from someone who hasn’t spoken yet.” Talk privately if it continues.
A question you can’t answer: Say so, write it down, bring an answer next week.
A tangent takes over: “Great question. Let’s catch it after class so we can finish the passage.”
BIG IDEA: BECAUSE THE TOMB IS EMPTY, THE HOUSE OF THE LORD IS HOME FOREVER.TEACHER GUIDE · OPENINGS, CLOSINGS & HARD MOMENTS
Mark 16:1-8
He Has Risen
The Lord Is My Shepherd · Dig Deeper
KEY VERSE
“And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6
“And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6
THE BIG IDEA
Because the tomb is empty, the house of the LORD is home forever.
Because the tomb is empty, the house of the LORD is home forever.
1. The House of the LORD Psalm 23:6
- The psalm’s road ends at God’s house.
- “Forever” is literally “for length of days.”
- Ecclesiastes calls the grave man’s “eternal home” (Ecclesiastes 12:5), literally “the house of his forever.”
Psalm 23:6 ends in God’s house. The women went to a (Mark 16:2).
“He has ! He is not here!” (Mark 16:6)
DISCUSS
David asked in Psalm 15, “Who may dwell on Your holy mountain?” How can anyone be sure of a place in God’s house?
David asked in Psalm 15, “Who may dwell on Your holy mountain?” How can anyone be sure of a place in God’s house?
2. The Stone Rolled Away Mark 16:1-5
- The women bring spices to anoint a body.
- They worry about the large stone.
- They find it rolled away and a young man in white inside.
“Who will roll away the from the entrance of the tomb?”
“When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were .”
DISCUSS
The women came expecting to care for a dead body. What does that tell you about what they believed?
The women came expecting to care for a dead body. What does that tell you about what they believed?
3. He Is Going Ahead of You Mark 16:6-8
- “He has risen! He is not here!”
- “Go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee.’”
- The women flee, trembling, and say nothing.
“He is going of you into Galilee.”
“Go, tell His disciples and .”
DISCUSS
Why does it matter that the risen Shepherd goes ahead of his sheep?
Why does it matter that the risen Shepherd goes ahead of his sheep?
Read this week: John 14:1-6 · 1 Corinthians 15:1-28 · Psalm 27
BIG IDEA: BECAUSE THE TOMB IS EMPTY, THE HOUSE OF THE LORD IS HOME FOREVER.HANDOUT · ADULT SIDE (KIDS ON THE BACK)
Mark 16:1-8 · FOR KIDS
He Has Risen
Name: ____________________
Big idea: Jesus is alive, and we will live with him forever.
1. Put the story in order!
Number the boxes.
They worry about the big stone.
A young man says, “He has risen!”
The women run away amazed.
Women bring spices to the tomb.
The stone is rolled away!
2. How did they feel?
Circle a face.
The women walking to the tomb
The women seeing the young man
The women hearing “He has risen!”
Us, knowing Jesus is alive
3. Word search
| Y | R | Y | R | R | F | P | K | O |
| B | V | P | R | B | B | N | F | H |
| H | J | S | I | B | B | F | Y | O |
| S | E | W | S | H | A | O | F | U |
| S | S | O | E | P | L | R | B | S |
| T | U | M | N | T | I | E | P | E |
| O | S | E | S | O | V | V | G | F |
| N | K | N | B | M | E | E | B | P |
| E | U | Y | K | B | U | R | O | Y |
JESUS · TOMB · STONE · RISEN · ALIVE · WOMEN · HOUSE · FOREVER
4. Secret code
1=E · 2=H · 3=I · 4=N · 5=R · 6=S
2
1
3
6
5
3
6
1
4
5. Draw it!
Draw the tomb with the big stone rolled away, and the women looking inside.
6. Memory verse
“I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6 Say it to a grown-up: ☐ ☐ ☐
Jesus is ______!
DIG DEEPERKIDS SIDE · PRINT ON THE BACK OF THE HANDOUT